An Ashby woman is using the current lockdown to supply Derby Hospital with woollen hats for premature babies.

Val Taylor knits them herself in 'traffic light' colours - this is so that nurses can keep the babies' heads warm and use the colours to see how well they are progressing.

Her daughter Tara knows a midwife at the hospital and she gratefully takes the hats Val makes into the wards.

Val said: "My daughter said to her friend that I'd said there I wish there was something I could do during lockdown, and they mentioned the premature babies.

"She said they're always wanting little hats, so tell your mum if she wants to knit some, she can, and they gave me a link to a pattern.

"She said to put some little traffic light bobbles on the top, red. amber and green, because when they are on the incubators, they can tell what progress they have made.

"So I set about knitting some, and when I've knitted them I give them to my daughter. Between us we sent a number of them across there."

Val, a keen Ashby Ivanhoe FC fan with husband David, says it is fulfilling to know the time spent during lockdown is being well spent.

She added: "There's a lot of people doing a lot of stuff out there at the moment, and if I can do a little bit of something while I'm sitting at home, that's good. It doesn't take long.

"The babies lose heat through their head, so the little bonnets help.

"It takes little time, costs virtually nothing in money and it's appreciated."